Advantages

Disadvantages

Well worth trying if you love dark chocolate

In common with so many women, and of course men out there, chocolate is my dieting downfall! I absolutely love it, and if I wasn't careful I would blossom into quite a size. Not only do I have a love of it, but also having the disease ME means I have blood sugar control problems if I am not really careful with my sugar intake. On top of this I suffer from premenstrual syndrome, and chocolate cravings are even worse at this time of the month!

So in view of all of these issues I have I have discovered a way that I can manage my chocolate cravings, and that is by purchasing really good quality dark chocolate with as much cocoa content as possible. The higher the cocoa content the lower the sugar, and the rare products available which are 100% contain no sugar at all. Pralus 100% is a chocolate which I discovered one day on one of my favourite websites- The Chocolate Trading Company. They do several products which have no sugar in them, and Pralus is one make that I return to time and again. I can highly recommend the Chocolate Trading Company for gifts and chocolate purchases in general, and they also have an arrangement with cash-back sites and you can take advantage of extra discounts on orders as well as cash-back.

Think slightly bitter, think strong, think adult, for this is what the 100% chocolate is. Made from cocoa farmed on the island of Madagascar, this is a rather special bar and as such the price reflects this- £4.95 for 100g. Ouch yes! - But believe me two squares of this suffices so a bar lasts a long time! You simply can't eat lots of it at once as you can with milk chocolate, so the calories and cost really are less important.

The first time I bought this a few years ago I was really not sure if it was for me. However now I can say that it is my chocolate of choice for those moments when I would otherwise have raided the biscuit barrel or my other favourite treat - the cake tin!

There is another make of chocolate called Domori; they also manufacture a 100% bar which I actually prefer as it is slightly less bitter than the Pralus. However I enjoy both - I would just recommend you start with the Domori if you are just beginning to try these pure chocolates. A really good way to do this is to start with Lindt- says the 70%, and then when your palate becomes accustomed to the taste you can move up through the percentages through 85% to 99%, and then you will find the transformation to these pure chocolates an easy one.

Made in France from the cocoa beans farmed on their own plantation in Madagascar on the island of Nosy Be, also known as "the island of perfumes", this chocolate has a rich chestnut flavour. The beans they use are called Crillo and these are generally less bitter than some, so the end result is more palatable to me than some high percentage bars I have tried.

The foil wrapped interior lies beneath the classy packaging which is adorned by a world map depicting the island of Madagascar. With the precise map reference of the island on the front it creates an illusion of something rather special. Inside the chocolate is squared like tiles on a wall, in the bottom right several merge to create a plain piece adorned with the word Pralus. The aroma is beautiful and the colour a rich dark brown.

I love this chocolate, it really does taste beautiful and it takes away the craving for sweeter treats. I will often have a couple of squares after dinner instead of dessert and it goes really well with freshly brewed coffee. It is also divine when melted and used as a dip for fresh strawberries.

TOXIC TO DOGS-------------------

Just one really important word of warning if like me you share your home with a canine friend. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and a small amount can be lethal. This is the most lethal you can buy as it has more cocoa than sugar; never leave it around for the dog to find, and if accidentally eaten please get your dog to a vet and tell them it is an emergency. Don't wait to see how they are- by then it will be too late. Be especially careful when the postman delivers it, as if you were to purchase one bar it could arrive in a jiffy bag and be ripped open by an inquisitive dog while you were at work.

That said as long as you keep it safe away from dogs it is absolutely fantastic, and if you are diabetic it is ideal as it does not contain sugar at all.

As well as being low in sugar it is bursting with magnesium, zinc, copper and antioxidants that are thought to mop up free radicals in the body. In addition it is mood enhancing, as it is high in trytophan which the body needs to make the happy hormone -serotonin. I certainly need this on my bad PMT days - my husband knows that only too well -poor chap!

Many of my family members love this chocolate. My son in Arizona gets me to send it out to him as he loves it so much! I think the main thing is that it takes time to adjust to the different taste as it is a long way from a bar of Galaxy!